Phonograph-reproducer.



T. A. EDISON.

PHONOGRAPH RBPRODUOER. APPLICATION FILED 0012s, 1909.

71,099,346. Patented June 9, 1914.

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UNI ED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS A. EDISON, OF IiLEWELLYN PARK, WEST ORANGE, NEW JERSESL'ASS IGNOR 'ro NEW JERSEY PATENT TION or NEW JERSEY.

To all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that I, THOMAS A. EDISON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Llewellyn Park, West-Orange, county of Essex, and State of New Jersey,-have made a certain new and useful Invention in Phonograph-Reproducers, of which the following is a description. a 1 a My invention relatest honograph reproducers, and has forits o ject the provision of an improved mounting for the stylus lever in order thatthe same may have great in tracking the grooves of the sound record? I More particularly, the object of my invention is to provide a mounting for the stylus lever whereby the latter may rock in its ownvertical plane about a pivot as the stylus tracks the record groove while at the same time the lever may rock in a transverse direction to enable the stylus to follow the contour of the record groove with greater facility. The requirement of great facility of movement of the stylus lever both in a direction parallel to and transverse to the record groove, is particularly important in the case of a record having two hundred threads or a greater number of threads per inch, owing to the thinwalls between the record grooves which might be broken down or jumped across by a stylus, the parts moving with which have considerable inertia,

and owing to the character of the record grooves generally. Accordingly, I provide a-member which bears upon the upper sur face of the stylus lever to constitute a fulcrum for the latter, the cooperating surfaces lever is formed on its up of the pivot member and the lever being so formed as to permit a limited rolling movement between the same in a plane transverse to the stylus lever. Preferably, the stylus per side with .a convexed surface cooperating with the surface of the pivot member, which latter is'prefer- I thrflmgh'a reproducerflequippedwith my in v ably mounted for rotation to reduce friction.

Other objects of my invention fare thg provision of improved details of construetion and the combination of parts. I

In order that my invention may be more clearly understood, reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings, -'illustrating a preferred form thereof, in which- Figure 1. is a central vertical section COll/IPANY, OF WEST ORANGE,

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed October 28, 1909. Serial No. 525,061.

for the reception of screw 19 into NEW JERSEY, A CORPORA- PHONOGRAPI-I-REPRODUGER.

. Patented June 9, 1914.

vention. Fig. 2 is a bottom view thereof, and Figs. 3 and 4 represent in. perspective the rotatable pivot member and stylus lever adapted to coact therewith. Referring to the drawings, the usual sound box 1 is provided with diaphragm 2 which s clamped between gaskets 3, the whole being'held in place by ring l which is threaded wlthin flange 5 of sound box 1 in the usual manner. Floating weight 6 is pivoted at 7 to block 8 which is supported from flange 5 by pin or screw 9, as is common. Stylus lever 10 carries stylus 11, the lever beingconnected to diaphragm 2-by link 12, the lever being supported from floating weight 6 when stylus 11 is not in contact with the record by means of stirrup 13 encircling lever 10, lever 10 being provided on its lower surface with a groove 14 for the reception of the stirrup. The upper surface of stylus lever 10 is preferably convexed in a direction transverse to the length or the median plane of the stylus lever as shownat 15. Disk 16, which is supported by pin 17'is mounted in slot 18 in floating weight 6 directly above surface 15 of lever 10. Pin 17 is rotatably mounted in suitable holes in the floating weight bn each sideof slot 18, so that disk 16 is free to rotate about an axis substantially parallel to the length or'longi tudinal axis of the lever and in a plane a proximately vertical. Floating weight 6 15 provided with the usual screw 19, the end of' which is supported within stirrup 20 depending from, flange 5 of the reproducer to limit the downward movement "of the floating weight. Before screwing pin 19 into place, pivot member 16 may be placed in position within its slot 18 and support 17 thereafter pushed through the hole designed osition to support member 16. Member 16 1spreferably provided on its lower surface with notch 21 which affords a lane surface to cooperate with convex sur ace 15 of lever 10, the shoulders of the notch servin to limit the rotation of the disk l6'and li ewise the lateral rocking movement of lever 10, since; I surface 16 of the lever tends to bind when 1:.f it comes into contact with either shoulder-Ff of notch 21." 105 Theresult of the construction above def scribedais that when stylus 11 engages the rd. t" 9. ma ne o t of cas phragm 2,, although his , ing this movement of the lever.

' center t e stylus levers more obvious that,

ment with the stirrup 13, rocks upon sur-- face 21 as a pivot in a vertical plane. as stylus 11 tracks the record groove. lever 10 is ,freeto rock through a limited arc in a plane transverse to its-length, the rotatable mounting of member 16 permittin rotation df said member by the-lever 10 and thereby reducing friction to a minimum durmay also oscillate'through a'limited arc in a plane substantially parallel with diaduring this movement, the rotation of member 16 is not brou ht into lay. The tail of lever 10 rests wit in 0. vs aped stirrup 22 depending from floating wei ht 6, this stirrup tending to properly It is obvious that, if'deeired, the curved periphery of member 16 might be used to cotiperate with surface 15 of lever 10, leaving out notch 21, or if the periphery of 'disk 16 was so used, itmight betapered into a V- shape in order to give a more nearly knife edge to act aslupper pivot for the vertical oscillation ,of the lever, or the surface of notch 21 might be so tapered. It is furtherif desired, surface 15 of lever 10 co-acting with plane surface 21 of member 16 might be convexly curved in all directions,- instead of merely being curved convexly transverse to the stylus lever as shown. That is, surface 15 instead of being curved as a cyl nder, could be curved as a globe, if desired, to facilitate the rocking of t e same. However, such a construction is .not commercially as practlcable as that shown.

Having now described my invention, what I claim and desireto protect by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. In a. phonograph reproducer, the combination w'ith adiaphragm and a floating when ea'i weight, of a stylus ever, aconnection between said lever andisaid diaphragm, pivot. for said lever supported by said weight, said pivot consisting of a member adapted to be oscillated 'by said lever about an axis extending longitudinally of said lever substantially -as scribed.

2. in .a phonograph reproducer, the combinationfof vibratory means, a tylus lever, a stylus carried by said lever, means connecting said lever. to said vibratory means means for supporting said lever when sai stylus is not in engagement with a record, said sup orting means. being vinoperative stylus is in engagement with a record, and a member contactingsaid lever and serving as a fulcrum for the latter when the stylus engages a record, said lever hav ing rocking and rollin engagement with said member, substantia ly as described.

3. In 'a' phonogra h reproducer, the combination with the diaphragm and the floating weight, of a stylus lever, a stylus carried Also,-

Lever 10.

bination o a at and a means for messes thereby, aconnection between said lever and diaphragm, and a pivot for said lever secured in said weight, said pivot consisting of. a member adapted to be rotated by sai lever in a plane crossing the median plane said lever when the stylus engages a record, substantially as described.

of said lever, and contacting a surface oh 4. In a phonograph reproducenthe com-- bination of a stylus lever, a st lus carried thereby, supporting means, and p a member mounted in said supportin -means contactingthe up er surface of said lever and serving as a ulcrum .for the latter when the stylus engages the record, said lever having rocking engagement. with said member m.-

its own vertical plane and rolling. on agement with said member whereby the utteris movable in a plane transverse to said v'er-.

lane, substantially as described.

n a honograph reproducer,; the combination o a stylus lever, a stylus carried thereby, a diaphragm, a connectionbetween said dlaphragm and said lever, and amember acting as a fulcrum for said lever and adapted to tical .be oscillated laterally thereby,

said lever and member having contacting surfacesone of which is plane and the other convexed, substantially as described.

6. In a phonograph reproducer, the combination o a stylus lever and stylus carried thereby, a diaphragm, a connection between; the same and said lever, supporting means,

a member rotatably mounted in said means contactingthe upper surface of said lever and serving as fulcrum for the latter when the stylus engages a record, said member being adapted to be rotated by said lever, mean'sfor supporting said lever when not engaging a said lever,

7 In a substantially. as described. honograph reproducer, the comus lever and stylus carried record, and means for centering'f thereby, a diap ragm,a connectionbetweenthe same and said lever, supporting means,

a member mountedto rotatean said'means in a plane transverseto said lever,said member having a surface contacting the upper surface of said .lever andserving as fulcrum for the latter when the stylus engages a rec-- 0rd, and carrying means for luniting the amountz ofrotation of said member when in contact with said lever surface, substantially as described.

' 8. In a phonograph reproducer, the combination of a stylus lever,

' a stylus carried thereby, a diaphragm, a connectionbetween the same and said lever, supporting means, I

a member rotatablgy mounted in said'means contacting the upper surface of said lever and serving as a fulcrum for the'latter when the stylus erigages a record, said means being adapted to be rotated by said lever, and

supporting said lever when not engaginga record, substantially as described;

9. In a phonograph reproducer, the combination of vibratory means, a stylus lever, a stylus carried by said lever, means connecting said lever to said vibratory means, means for supporting said lever when said stylus is not in engagement with a record,

said supporting means being inoperative lever,- substantially as described.

10. In a phonograph reproducer, the combination of vibratory means, a stylus lever, a stylus carried thereby, means connecting said lever to said vibratory means, and a member contacting the upper surface of said lever and serving as a fulcrum for the latter when the stylus engages a record, said lever having rocking and rolling engagement with said member in planes at an angle to each other and to said diaph'agm and oscillatory movement with respect to said member in a direction substantially parallel to said diaphragm, substantially as described.

This specification signed and witnessed this 26th day of October 1909.

THOS. A. EDISON. Witnesses:

Drnn SMITH, JOHN M. CANFIELD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner 01 Patents,

Washington, D. 0." 

